The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-17
AUGUSTA IN FLAMES.
a Destructive Fire in tho Fountain city

.. $e<0sS$>seSv
a Destructive Fire in tho Fountain City.
AUGUSTA, February 13. "a. nl.-The
beautiful Masonic Theatre, in which
Augusta took such pride, together with
the Globe Hotel and thirteen stores
adjoining, were burned to the ground to.
night. The loss on the buildings and
goods in stock will amount to about
5000, 900 in round numbers, it being the
largest and most disastrous fire which has
ever visited Augusta. A few minutes
after six o'clock this evening smoke was
seen issuing from the rear windows OF
the Masonic Theatre on Ellis street. An
alarm was Immediately sounded and the
department responded quickly, but before
stream could be got on the fire the
entire rear portion of the mammoth
building was one mass of flames. The
matinee of Mrs. Bowers's company bad
only concluded about 80 minutes before
the fire was discovered, thereby prevent
ing stampede and great loss Of life. It
is learned from boy employed on the
stage that the FIRE was caused by the
border lights having been left burning
near one of the back windows which was
open. Thus the wind blew one of the
border curtains into gas jet, which was
the cause of the fire. No one was in the
theatre at the time and the flames were
discovered by outsiders. Ip short while
after the engines arrived on the scene
about half dozen streams were directed
on the burning building, but 80 great
was the headway Of the fire at the time
that they were powerlesa and the water
seemed to feed the fire rather than to
extinguish it. Streams were played on
the building from both Broad and Ellis
streets, but the fire had gained such
headway that it was impossible to ex.
tinguish it, and the fremen set to work to
prevent its spreading. Their efforts were,
however, of no avail, for in remarkably
short time the flames spread to the rear
portion of The Globe Hotel, and few
minutes thereafter the rear. and side
walls fell, setting FIRE to the shoe store of
J. B. White & Co. Two hours after the
fire originated, the entire Masonic build
ing, from Broad to Ellis street. the Globe
Hotel, J. B. Whites shoe and clothing
store, DAILY & Armstrong; dry goods
store, Bailie & Coskery's carpet store, I.
L. Stansell's clothing store, Benson &
Co.'S cigar store. Liebscher's fish and
game establishment, Ramsey's produce
store. r; NJ. Mixon's commission house
Mcintosh 4 Roberts's barber shop, and
j. b. Cartwright's bar and billiard
saloon, ,>together with number Of small
houses in the rear of the Central Hotel,
we're one mass Of flames.
The fremen worked heroically and
many Of them endangered their lives in
fighting the ERE and attempting to save
goods from the burning building, but SO
rapid was the headway of the flames that
q majority of the stock in all the stores
was consumed.
The losses and insurance on the differ
ent buildings, &C., as near as could be
learned were as follows:
On the Masonic building, including
furniture, &c., about $4,000; insured
for $4,000. Besides this, all the effects
of Mrs. Bowers's troupe were consumed,
they being valued at sl1, 900; also about
81 800 worth of Manager Cohen's private
property, neither of which was insured,
|, This loss is very heavy upon MI. Cohen,
who has worked faithfully in the dis
charge of his duty as manager of the
Theatre, and spent $500 of bis own
m oney for different articles used i'm the
house.
On the stock of goods in DAILY & Arm.
strong's dry goods store, the loss was
about $40, 900; insured for $4,000. On
the goods in Bailie & Coskery's carpet
store, loss about $1,000; insured for s15,.
900. On the goods of the J. B. White
clothing and shoe houses about $4,000;
insured for $4,000. The Globe Hotel,
the property Of Mr.. T. W. Coskery, loss
about ss5, 900; insured for $4,000. I.
L. Stansell, who occupies the clothing
store under the Globe Hotel, loses about
$4,000, fully covered by insurance.
Benson T. Co., cigar, dealers, also under
the Globe Hotel, lose only, about $500,
on account of their removing the stock
of goods before the flames reached the
store. Most Of their loss was from
steslage by those engaged in removing
the goods. Mr.. Doolittle, the proprietor
of The Globe Hotel, loses about $4,000,
partially insured. Mr. E. Liebscher,
fish and game dealer loses about $4,000; 7;
insurance, $4,000; Mr.. W. A. Ramsey,
produce dealer, loses about 5000, fully
covered by insurance; Mr.. R. NJ. Nixon,
commission merchant, loses only few
hundred dollars; Mr.. J. P. Cartwright
was insured for $1,000; his loss will not
exceed $1,000. Mcintosh & Roberts
loss amounts to $500, covered by insu.
rance.
! The loss of the new Masonic theatre is
rightly considered one of the greatest
losses Augusta could have experienced.
In this connection Manager Cohen stated
to your correspondent tonight that all
contracts made by him with troupes for
this season will be filled in Market Hall.
By the burning of this building the
Valentine Society will also have to pro-
cure another place for their annual ball,
which was to have been given in the